Zechariah 13:8-9 - In the whole land,” declares the LORD, “two-thirds will be struck down and perish; yet one-third will be left in it. This third I will put into the fire; I will refine them like silver and test them like gold. They will call on my name and I will answer them; I will say, ‘They are my people,’ and they will say, ‘The LORD is our God.’”
Malachi 3:2 - But who can endure the day of his coming? Who can stand when he appears? For he will be like a refiner’s fire or a launderer’s soap.
Daniel 11:35 - Some of the wise will stumble, so that they may be refined, purified and made spotless until the time of the end, for it will still come at the appointed time.
Psalm 50:14-15 - “Sacrifice thank offerings to God, fulfill your vows to the Most High, and call on me in the day of trouble; I will deliver you, and you will honor me.”
Psalm 105:1 - Give praise to the LORD, proclaim his name; make known among the nations what he has done.
Zechariah 8:8 - I will bring them back to live in Jerusalem; they will be my people, and I will be faithful and righteous to them as their God.”
Application:
· God is merciful in the midst of judgment.
· Have I been restored to proper covenant relationship to the Lord?
· Do I have clean hands and a pure heart?
· Do I stumble so that I can be refined, purified and made spotless?
· Do I honor God with praise and obedience to His covenant law?
· Do I seek the Lord in public worship?
· Do I live with God in faithfulness and in righteousness?
All Scripture verses taken from NIV
Thursday, September 29, 2011
Wednesday, September 28, 2011
My Shepherd
Zechariah 13:3-7 - And if anyone still prophesies, their father and mother, to whom they were born, will say to them, ‘You must die, because you have told lies in the LORD’s name.’ Then their own parents will stab the one who prophesies. “On that day every prophet will be ashamed of their prophetic vision. They will not put on a prophet’s garment of hair in order to deceive. Each will say, ‘I am not a prophet. I am a farmer; the land has been my livelihood since my youth.’ If someone asks, ‘What are these wounds on your body?’ they will answer, ‘The wounds I was given at the house of my friends.’ “Awake, sword, against my shepherd, against the man who is close to me!” declares the LORD Almighty. “Strike the shepherd, and the sheep will be scattered, and I will turn my hand against the little ones.
Ezekiel 37:24 - “‘My servant David will be king over them, and they will all have one shepherd. They will follow my laws and be careful to keep my decrees.
Zechariah 11:11,15,17 - It was revoked on that day, and so the oppressed of the flock who were watching me knew it was the word of the LORD…Then the LORD said to me, “Take again the equipment of a foolish shepherd…“Woe to the worthless shepherd, who deserts the flock! May the sword strike his arm and his right eye! May his arm be completely withered, his right eye totally blinded!”
Zechariah 12:10 - “And I will pour out on the house of David and the inhabitants of Jerusalem a spirit of grace and supplication. They will look on me, the one they have pierced, and they will mourn for him as one mourns for an only child, and grieve bitterly for him as one grieves for a firstborn son.
Mark 14:49 - Every day I was with you, teaching in the temple courts, and you did not arrest me. But the Scriptures must be fulfilled.”
Application:
· Have I told lies in the Lord’s name?
· Have I been disobedient to God’s covenant?
· Do I care for my flock?
· Do I recognize the authoritative word of the Lord?
· Those who shepherd who are not the Lord’s choice are foolish and worthless
· If I fail to respond to the shepherds God provides, He can give me over to false shepherds
· Do I look to my Messiah in faith?
· Are we seeing Scripture fulfilled?
All Scripture verses taken from NIV
Ezekiel 37:24 - “‘My servant David will be king over them, and they will all have one shepherd. They will follow my laws and be careful to keep my decrees.
Zechariah 11:11,15,17 - It was revoked on that day, and so the oppressed of the flock who were watching me knew it was the word of the LORD…Then the LORD said to me, “Take again the equipment of a foolish shepherd…“Woe to the worthless shepherd, who deserts the flock! May the sword strike his arm and his right eye! May his arm be completely withered, his right eye totally blinded!”
Zechariah 12:10 - “And I will pour out on the house of David and the inhabitants of Jerusalem a spirit of grace and supplication. They will look on me, the one they have pierced, and they will mourn for him as one mourns for an only child, and grieve bitterly for him as one grieves for a firstborn son.
Mark 14:49 - Every day I was with you, teaching in the temple courts, and you did not arrest me. But the Scriptures must be fulfilled.”
Application:
· Have I told lies in the Lord’s name?
· Have I been disobedient to God’s covenant?
· Do I care for my flock?
· Do I recognize the authoritative word of the Lord?
· Those who shepherd who are not the Lord’s choice are foolish and worthless
· If I fail to respond to the shepherds God provides, He can give me over to false shepherds
· Do I look to my Messiah in faith?
· Are we seeing Scripture fulfilled?
All Scripture verses taken from NIV
Tuesday, September 27, 2011
Prophets
Zechariah 13:2-3 - “On that day, I will banish the names of the idols from the land, and they will be remembered no more,” declares the LORD Almighty. “I will remove both the prophets and the spirit of impurity from the land. And if anyone still prophesies, their father and mother, to whom they were born, will say to them, ‘You must die, because you have told lies in the LORD’s name.’ Then their own parents will stab the one who prophesies.
Nehemiah 6:12-13 - I realized that God had not sent him, but that he had prophesied against me because Tobiah and Sanballat had hired him. He had been hired to intimidate me so that I would commit a sin by doing this, and then they would give me a bad name to discredit me.
Zechariah 12:10 - “And I will pour out on the house of David and the inhabitants of Jerusalem a spirit of grace and supplication. They will look on me, the one they have pierced, and they will mourn for him as one mourns for an only child, and grieve bitterly for him as one grieves for a firstborn son.
Application:
· Do I propose courses of action contrary to God’s Word?
· Do I waver in the face of threats against me?
· Have I told lies in the Lord’s name?
· Does the Holy Spirit cause me to be repentant and seek forgiveness?
All Scripture verses taken from NIV
Nehemiah 6:12-13 - I realized that God had not sent him, but that he had prophesied against me because Tobiah and Sanballat had hired him. He had been hired to intimidate me so that I would commit a sin by doing this, and then they would give me a bad name to discredit me.
Zechariah 12:10 - “And I will pour out on the house of David and the inhabitants of Jerusalem a spirit of grace and supplication. They will look on me, the one they have pierced, and they will mourn for him as one mourns for an only child, and grieve bitterly for him as one grieves for a firstborn son.
Application:
· Do I propose courses of action contrary to God’s Word?
· Do I waver in the face of threats against me?
· Have I told lies in the Lord’s name?
· Does the Holy Spirit cause me to be repentant and seek forgiveness?
All Scripture verses taken from NIV
Monday, September 26, 2011
Cleanse Them From Sin
Zechariah 12:11-13:1 - On that day the weeping in Jerusalem will be as great as the weeping of Hadad Rimmon in the plain of Megiddo. The land will mourn, each clan by itself, with their wives by themselves: the clan of the house of David and their wives, the clan of the house of Nathan and their wives, the clan of the house of Levi and their wives, the clan of Shimei and their wives, and all the rest of the clans and their wives. “On that day a fountain will be opened to the house of David and the inhabitants of Jerusalem, to cleanse them from sin and impurity.
Leviticus 16:29-30 - “This is to be a lasting ordinance for you: On the tenth day of the seventh month you must deny yourselves and not do any work—whether native-born or a foreigner residing among you—because on this day atonement will be made for you, to cleanse you. Then, before the LORD, you will be clean from all your sins.
Hebrews 9:14 - How much more, then, will the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered himself unblemished to God, cleanse our consciences from acts that lead to death, so that we may serve the living God!
Jeremiah 31:34 - No longer will they teach their neighbor, or say to one another, ‘Know the LORD,’ because they will all know me, from the least of them to the greatest,” declares the LORD. “For I will forgive their wickedness and will remember their sins no more.”
Application:
· Do I lead in repentance and mourning?
· Have I been cleansed from sin and impurity?
· Am I assured of sins forgiven?
· Has my conscience been cleansed from acts that lead to death?
· Do I know the Lord? Do I have true knowledge of Him?
All Scripture verses taken from NIV
Leviticus 16:29-30 - “This is to be a lasting ordinance for you: On the tenth day of the seventh month you must deny yourselves and not do any work—whether native-born or a foreigner residing among you—because on this day atonement will be made for you, to cleanse you. Then, before the LORD, you will be clean from all your sins.
Hebrews 9:14 - How much more, then, will the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered himself unblemished to God, cleanse our consciences from acts that lead to death, so that we may serve the living God!
Jeremiah 31:34 - No longer will they teach their neighbor, or say to one another, ‘Know the LORD,’ because they will all know me, from the least of them to the greatest,” declares the LORD. “For I will forgive their wickedness and will remember their sins no more.”
Application:
· Do I lead in repentance and mourning?
· Have I been cleansed from sin and impurity?
· Am I assured of sins forgiven?
· Has my conscience been cleansed from acts that lead to death?
· Do I know the Lord? Do I have true knowledge of Him?
All Scripture verses taken from NIV
Friday, September 23, 2011
Worthless Shepherd
Zechariah 11:15-17 - Then the LORD said to me, “Take again the equipment of a foolish shepherd. For I am going to raise up a shepherd over the land who will not care for the lost, or seek the young, or heal the injured, or feed the healthy, but will eat the meat of the choice sheep, tearing off their hooves. “Woe to the worthless shepherd, who deserts the flock! May the sword strike his arm and his right eye! May his arm be completely withered, his right eye totally blinded!”
Ezekiel 34:2-3 - “Son of man, prophesy against the shepherds of Israel; prophesy and say to them: ‘This is what the Sovereign LORD says: Woe to you shepherds of Israel who only take care of yourselves! Should not shepherds take care of the flock? You eat the curds, clothe yourselves with the wool and slaughter the choice animals, but you do not take care of the flock.
Daniel 11:36-37 - “The king will do as he pleases. He will exalt and magnify himself above every god and will say unheard-of things against the God of gods. He will be successful until the time of wrath is completed, for what has been determined must take place. He will show no regard for the gods of his ancestors or for the one desired by women, nor will he regard any god, but will exalt himself above them all.
John 10:11,14-16 - “I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep…“I am the good shepherd; I know my sheep and my sheep know me—just as the Father knows me and I know the Father—and I lay down my life for the sheep. I have other sheep that are not of this sheep pen. I must bring them also. They too will listen to my voice, and there shall be one flock and one shepherd.
Application:
· If I fail to respond to the shepherds God provides, He can give me over to false shepherds
· Those who shepherd who are not the Lord’s choice are foolish and worthless
· Have I neglected my sheep? Do I benefit at the cost of my sheep?
· Do I misuse my power by using it for my own gain rather than the good of others?
· The antichrist (worthless shepherd) will exalt himself, speak against God and will be successful (for a time)
· The antichrist will have no regard for Christ
· The Good Shepherd (Jesus) laid down His life for me
· The good shepherd knows me deeply
· The good shepherd unites His flock as one
All Scripture verses taken from NIV
Ezekiel 34:2-3 - “Son of man, prophesy against the shepherds of Israel; prophesy and say to them: ‘This is what the Sovereign LORD says: Woe to you shepherds of Israel who only take care of yourselves! Should not shepherds take care of the flock? You eat the curds, clothe yourselves with the wool and slaughter the choice animals, but you do not take care of the flock.
Daniel 11:36-37 - “The king will do as he pleases. He will exalt and magnify himself above every god and will say unheard-of things against the God of gods. He will be successful until the time of wrath is completed, for what has been determined must take place. He will show no regard for the gods of his ancestors or for the one desired by women, nor will he regard any god, but will exalt himself above them all.
John 10:11,14-16 - “I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep…“I am the good shepherd; I know my sheep and my sheep know me—just as the Father knows me and I know the Father—and I lay down my life for the sheep. I have other sheep that are not of this sheep pen. I must bring them also. They too will listen to my voice, and there shall be one flock and one shepherd.
Application:
· If I fail to respond to the shepherds God provides, He can give me over to false shepherds
· Those who shepherd who are not the Lord’s choice are foolish and worthless
· Have I neglected my sheep? Do I benefit at the cost of my sheep?
· Do I misuse my power by using it for my own gain rather than the good of others?
· The antichrist (worthless shepherd) will exalt himself, speak against God and will be successful (for a time)
· The antichrist will have no regard for Christ
· The Good Shepherd (Jesus) laid down His life for me
· The good shepherd knows me deeply
· The good shepherd unites His flock as one
All Scripture verses taken from NIV
Covenant
Zechariah 11:8-15,17 - In one month I got rid of the three shepherds. The flock detested me, and I grew weary of them and said, “I will not be your shepherd. Let the dying die, and the perishing perish. Let those who are left eat one another’s flesh.” Then I took my staff called Favor and broke it, revoking the covenant I had made with all the nations. It was revoked on that day, and so the oppressed of the flock who were watching me knew it was the word of the LORD. I told them, “If you think it best, give me my pay; but if not, keep it.” So they paid me thirty pieces of silver. And the LORD said to me, “Throw it to the potter”—the handsome price at which they valued me! So I took the thirty pieces of silver and threw them to the potter at the house of the LORD. Then I broke my second staff called Union, breaking the family bond between Judah and Israel. Then the LORD said to me, “Take again the equipment of a foolish shepherd…“Woe to the worthless shepherd, who deserts the flock! May the sword strike his arm and his right eye! May his arm be completely withered, his right eye totally blinded!”
Ezekiel 34:25 - “‘I will make a covenant of peace with them and rid the land of savage beasts so that they may live in the wilderness and sleep in the forests in safety.
Application:
· Do I have a covenant of peace with the Lord? Is my life full and secure in Him?
· Do I recognize the authoritative word of the Lord?
· Those who shepherd who are not the Lord’s choice are foolish and worthless!
· If I fail to respond to the shepherds God provides, He can give me over to false shepherds!
All Scripture verses taken from NIV
Ezekiel 34:25 - “‘I will make a covenant of peace with them and rid the land of savage beasts so that they may live in the wilderness and sleep in the forests in safety.
Application:
· Do I have a covenant of peace with the Lord? Is my life full and secure in Him?
· Do I recognize the authoritative word of the Lord?
· Those who shepherd who are not the Lord’s choice are foolish and worthless!
· If I fail to respond to the shepherds God provides, He can give me over to false shepherds!
All Scripture verses taken from NIV
Wednesday, September 21, 2011
Union
Zechariah 11:6-7 - For I will no longer have pity on the people of the land,” declares the LORD. “I will give everyone into the hands of their neighbors and their king. They will devastate the land, and I will not rescue anyone from their hands.” So I shepherded the flock marked for slaughter, particularly the oppressed of the flock. Then I took two staffs and called one Favor and the other Union, and I shepherded the flock.
Ezekiel 37:18-19,24,26 - “When your people ask you, ‘Won’t you tell us what you mean by this?’ say to them, ‘This is what the Sovereign LORD says: I am going to take the stick of Joseph—which is in Ephraim’s hand—and of the Israelite tribes associated with him, and join it to Judah’s stick. I will make them into a single stick of wood, and they will become one in my hand.’…“‘My servant David will be king over them, and they will all have one shepherd. They will follow my laws and be careful to keep my decrees…I will make a covenant of peace with them; it will be an everlasting covenant. I will establish them and increase their numbers, and I will put my sanctuary among them forever.
Application:
· Am I one with other believers in the hand of God?
· Do I follow God’s laws and keep His decrees?
· Do I have an everlasting covenant of peace with the Lord?
All Scripture verses taken from NIV
Ezekiel 37:18-19,24,26 - “When your people ask you, ‘Won’t you tell us what you mean by this?’ say to them, ‘This is what the Sovereign LORD says: I am going to take the stick of Joseph—which is in Ephraim’s hand—and of the Israelite tribes associated with him, and join it to Judah’s stick. I will make them into a single stick of wood, and they will become one in my hand.’…“‘My servant David will be king over them, and they will all have one shepherd. They will follow my laws and be careful to keep my decrees…I will make a covenant of peace with them; it will be an everlasting covenant. I will establish them and increase their numbers, and I will put my sanctuary among them forever.
Application:
· Am I one with other believers in the hand of God?
· Do I follow God’s laws and keep His decrees?
· Do I have an everlasting covenant of peace with the Lord?
All Scripture verses taken from NIV
Tuesday, September 20, 2011
Walk
Zechariah 10:11-11:5,11 - They will pass through the sea of trouble; the surging sea will be subdued and all the depths of the Nile will dry up. Assyria’s pride will be brought down and Egypt’s scepter will pass away. I will strengthen them in the LORD and in his name they will live securely,” declares the LORD. Open your doors, Lebanon, so that fire may devour your cedars! Wail, you juniper, for the cedar has fallen; the stately trees are ruined! Wail, oaks of Bashan; the dense forest has been cut down! Listen to the wail of the shepherds; their rich pastures are destroyed! Listen to the roar of the lions; the lush thicket of the Jordan is ruined! This is what the LORD my God says: “Shepherd the flock marked for slaughter. Their buyers slaughter them and go unpunished. Those who sell them say, ‘Praise the LORD, I am rich!’ Their own shepherds do not spare them…It was revoked on that day, and so the oppressed of the flock who were watching me knew it was the word of the LORD.
Micah 4:5 - All the nations may walk in the name of their gods, but we will walk in the name of the LORD our God for ever and ever.
Ezekiel 34:2-3 - “Son of man, prophesy against the shepherds of Israel; prophesy and say to them: ‘This is what the Sovereign LORD says: Woe to you shepherds of Israel who only take care of yourselves! Should not shepherds take care of the flock? You eat the curds, clothe yourselves with the wool and slaughter the choice animals, but you do not take care of the flock.
Application:
· Do I confess, love, obey and rely on the Lord?
· Do I recognize the authoritative word of the Lord?
· Have I neglected my sheep? Do I benefit at the cost of my sheep?
· Do I misuse my power by using it for my own gain rather than the good of others?
All Scripture verses taken from NIV
Micah 4:5 - All the nations may walk in the name of their gods, but we will walk in the name of the LORD our God for ever and ever.
Ezekiel 34:2-3 - “Son of man, prophesy against the shepherds of Israel; prophesy and say to them: ‘This is what the Sovereign LORD says: Woe to you shepherds of Israel who only take care of yourselves! Should not shepherds take care of the flock? You eat the curds, clothe yourselves with the wool and slaughter the choice animals, but you do not take care of the flock.
Application:
· Do I confess, love, obey and rely on the Lord?
· Do I recognize the authoritative word of the Lord?
· Have I neglected my sheep? Do I benefit at the cost of my sheep?
· Do I misuse my power by using it for my own gain rather than the good of others?
All Scripture verses taken from NIV
Gather Them
Zechariah 10:9-10 - Though I scatter them among the peoples, yet in distant lands they will remember me. They and their children will survive, and they will return. I will bring them back from Egypt and gather them from Assyria. I will bring them to Gilead and Lebanon, and there will not be room enough for them.
Zechariah 8:8 - I will bring them back to live in Jerusalem; they will be my people, and I will be faithful and righteous to them as their God.”
Ezekiel 39:27,29 - When I have brought them back from the nations and have gathered them from the countries of their enemies, I will be proved holy through them in the sight of many nations…I will no longer hide my face from them, for I will pour out my Spirit on the people of Israel, declares the Sovereign LORD.”
Application:
· Do I remember the Lord?
· Am I one of God’s people?
· Has God been shown holy through me?
· Has the Lord poured out His Spirit on me?
All Scripture verses taken from NIV
Zechariah 8:8 - I will bring them back to live in Jerusalem; they will be my people, and I will be faithful and righteous to them as their God.”
Ezekiel 39:27,29 - When I have brought them back from the nations and have gathered them from the countries of their enemies, I will be proved holy through them in the sight of many nations…I will no longer hide my face from them, for I will pour out my Spirit on the people of Israel, declares the Sovereign LORD.”
Application:
· Do I remember the Lord?
· Am I one of God’s people?
· Has God been shown holy through me?
· Has the Lord poured out His Spirit on me?
All Scripture verses taken from NIV
Friday, September 16, 2011
I Will Punish The Leaders
Zechariah 10:3-4 - “My anger burns against the shepherds, and I will punish the leaders; for the LORD Almighty will care for his flock, the people of Judah, and make them like a proud horse in battle. From Judah will come the cornerstone, from him the tent peg, from him the battle bow, from him every ruler.
Ezekiel 34:2-3 - “Son of man, prophesy against the shepherds of Israel; prophesy and say to them: ‘This is what the Sovereign LORD says: Woe to you shepherds of Israel who only take care of yourselves! Should not shepherds take care of the flock? You eat the curds, clothe yourselves with the wool and slaughter the choice animals, but you do not take care of the flock.
Psalm 118:22-23 - The stone the builders rejected has become the cornerstone; the LORD has done this, and it is marvelous in our eyes.
Acts 4:11 - Jesus is “‘the stone you builders rejected, which has become the cornerstone.’
Zechariah 9:10 - I will take away the chariots from Ephraim and the warhorses from Jerusalem, and the battle bow will be broken. He will proclaim peace to the nations. His rule will extend from sea to sea and from the River to the ends of the earth.
Genesis 49:10 - The scepter will not depart from Judah, nor the ruler’s staff from between his feet, until he to whom it belongs shall come and the obedience of the nations shall be his.
Jeremiah 30:21 - Their leader will be one of their own; their ruler will arise from among them. I will bring him near and he will come close to me—for who is he who will devote himself to be close to me?’ declares the LORD.
Micah 5:2 - “But you, Bethlehem Ephrathah, though you are small among the clans of Judah, out of you will come for me one who will be ruler over Israel, whose origins are from of old, from ancient times.”
Application:
· Do I neglect my sheep? Do I benefit at the cost of my sheep?
· Do I care for my flock?
· Jesus is my capstone!!!
· Do I reject Jesus?
· The Lord’s rule will be universal!!!
· Am I obedient?
· Do I draw near to God?
· Christ reigns!!!
All Scripture verses taken from NIV
Ezekiel 34:2-3 - “Son of man, prophesy against the shepherds of Israel; prophesy and say to them: ‘This is what the Sovereign LORD says: Woe to you shepherds of Israel who only take care of yourselves! Should not shepherds take care of the flock? You eat the curds, clothe yourselves with the wool and slaughter the choice animals, but you do not take care of the flock.
Psalm 118:22-23 - The stone the builders rejected has become the cornerstone; the LORD has done this, and it is marvelous in our eyes.
Acts 4:11 - Jesus is “‘the stone you builders rejected, which has become the cornerstone.’
Zechariah 9:10 - I will take away the chariots from Ephraim and the warhorses from Jerusalem, and the battle bow will be broken. He will proclaim peace to the nations. His rule will extend from sea to sea and from the River to the ends of the earth.
Genesis 49:10 - The scepter will not depart from Judah, nor the ruler’s staff from between his feet, until he to whom it belongs shall come and the obedience of the nations shall be his.
Jeremiah 30:21 - Their leader will be one of their own; their ruler will arise from among them. I will bring him near and he will come close to me—for who is he who will devote himself to be close to me?’ declares the LORD.
Micah 5:2 - “But you, Bethlehem Ephrathah, though you are small among the clans of Judah, out of you will come for me one who will be ruler over Israel, whose origins are from of old, from ancient times.”
Application:
· Do I neglect my sheep? Do I benefit at the cost of my sheep?
· Do I care for my flock?
· Jesus is my capstone!!!
· Do I reject Jesus?
· The Lord’s rule will be universal!!!
· Am I obedient?
· Do I draw near to God?
· Christ reigns!!!
All Scripture verses taken from NIV
Thursday, September 15, 2011
Diviners
Zechariah 9:16-10:2 - The LORD their God will save his people on that day as a shepherd saves his flock. They will sparkle in his land like jewels in a crown. Ask the LORD for rain in the springtime; it is the LORD who sends the thunderstorms. He gives showers of rain to all people, and plants of the field to everyone. The idols speak deceitfully, diviners see visions that lie; they tell dreams that are false, they give comfort in vain. Therefore the people wander like sheep oppressed for lack of a shepherd.
Psalm 135:7 - He makes clouds rise from the ends of the earth; he sends lightning with the rain and brings out the wind from his storehouses.
Deuteronomy 18:9,15 - When you enter the land the LORD your God is giving you, do not learn to imitate the detestable ways of the nations there…The LORD your God will raise up for you a prophet like me from among you, from your fellow Israelites. You must listen to him.
John 6:14 - After the people saw the sign Jesus performed, they began to say, “Surely this is the Prophet who is to come into the world.”
Genesis 30:27 - But Laban said to him, “If I have found favor in your eyes, please stay. I have learned by divination that the LORD has blessed me because of you.”
Isaiah 53:6 - We all, like sheep, have gone astray, each of us has turned to our own way; and the LORD has laid on him the iniquity of us all.
Jeremiah 23:3 - “I myself will gather the remnant of my flock out of all the countries where I have driven them and will bring them back to their pasture, where they will be fruitful and increase in number.
Psalm 23:1 - The LORD is my shepherd, I lack nothing.
Ezekiel 34:11,23-24 - “‘For this is what the Sovereign LORD says: I myself will search for my sheep and look after them…I will place over them one shepherd, my servant David, and he will tend them; he will tend them and be their shepherd. I the LORD will be their God, and my servant David will be prince among them. I the LORD have spoken.
John 10:11,14-16 - “I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep…“I am the good shepherd; I know my sheep and my sheep know me—just as the Father knows me and I know the Father—and I lay down my life for the sheep. I have other sheep that are not of this sheep pen. I must bring them also. They too will listen to my voice, and there shall be one flock and one shepherd.
Hebrews 13:20-21 - Now may the God of peace, who through the blood of the eternal covenant brought back from the dead our Lord Jesus, that great Shepherd of the sheep, equip you with everything good for doing his will, and may he work in us what is pleasing to him, through Jesus Christ, to whom be glory for ever and ever. Amen.
Application:
· Do I pray and trust in Him?
· Do I speak deceit?
· Jesus did more than the people expected of Him
· Has the Lord blessed me through others?
· Have I gone astray and turned to my own way?
· Has the Lord brought me back to Him?
· Is the Lord my shepherd?
· The Lord gave His life for me
· Have I been equipped for doing His will?
All Scripture verses taken from NIV
Psalm 135:7 - He makes clouds rise from the ends of the earth; he sends lightning with the rain and brings out the wind from his storehouses.
Deuteronomy 18:9,15 - When you enter the land the LORD your God is giving you, do not learn to imitate the detestable ways of the nations there…The LORD your God will raise up for you a prophet like me from among you, from your fellow Israelites. You must listen to him.
John 6:14 - After the people saw the sign Jesus performed, they began to say, “Surely this is the Prophet who is to come into the world.”
Genesis 30:27 - But Laban said to him, “If I have found favor in your eyes, please stay. I have learned by divination that the LORD has blessed me because of you.”
Isaiah 53:6 - We all, like sheep, have gone astray, each of us has turned to our own way; and the LORD has laid on him the iniquity of us all.
Jeremiah 23:3 - “I myself will gather the remnant of my flock out of all the countries where I have driven them and will bring them back to their pasture, where they will be fruitful and increase in number.
Psalm 23:1 - The LORD is my shepherd, I lack nothing.
Ezekiel 34:11,23-24 - “‘For this is what the Sovereign LORD says: I myself will search for my sheep and look after them…I will place over them one shepherd, my servant David, and he will tend them; he will tend them and be their shepherd. I the LORD will be their God, and my servant David will be prince among them. I the LORD have spoken.
John 10:11,14-16 - “I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep…“I am the good shepherd; I know my sheep and my sheep know me—just as the Father knows me and I know the Father—and I lay down my life for the sheep. I have other sheep that are not of this sheep pen. I must bring them also. They too will listen to my voice, and there shall be one flock and one shepherd.
Hebrews 13:20-21 - Now may the God of peace, who through the blood of the eternal covenant brought back from the dead our Lord Jesus, that great Shepherd of the sheep, equip you with everything good for doing his will, and may he work in us what is pleasing to him, through Jesus Christ, to whom be glory for ever and ever. Amen.
Application:
· Do I pray and trust in Him?
· Do I speak deceit?
· Jesus did more than the people expected of Him
· Has the Lord blessed me through others?
· Have I gone astray and turned to my own way?
· Has the Lord brought me back to Him?
· Is the Lord my shepherd?
· The Lord gave His life for me
· Have I been equipped for doing His will?
All Scripture verses taken from NIV
Wednesday, September 14, 2011
Hope
Zechariah 9:9-10,12-15 - Rejoice greatly, Daughter Zion! Shout, Daughter Jerusalem! See, your king comes to you, righteous and victorious, lowly and riding on a donkey, on a colt, the foal of a donkey. I will take away the chariots from Ephraim and the warhorses from Jerusalem, and the battle bow will be broken. He will proclaim peace to the nations. His rule will extend from sea to sea and from the River to the ends of the earth.…Return to your fortress, you prisoners of hope; even now I announce that I will restore twice as much to you. I will bend Judah as I bend my bow and fill it with Ephraim. I will rouse your sons, Zion, against your sons, Greece, and make you like a warrior’s sword. Then the LORD will appear over them; his arrow will flash like lightning. The Sovereign LORD will sound the trumpet; he will march in the storms of the south, and the LORD Almighty will shield them. They will destroy and overcome with slingstones. They will drink and roar as with wine; they will be full like a bowl used for sprinkling the corners of the altar.
Zechariah 14:20 - On that day HOLY TO THE LORD will be inscribed on the bells of the horses, and the cooking pots in the LORD’s house will be like the sacred bowls in front of the altar.
Application:
· Do I conform to the divine standard of morality and ethics?
· The Lord’s rule will be universal
· Am I consecrated to the Lord’s service? (Holy to the Lord!!!)
All Scripture verses taken from NIV
Zechariah 14:20 - On that day HOLY TO THE LORD will be inscribed on the bells of the horses, and the cooking pots in the LORD’s house will be like the sacred bowls in front of the altar.
Application:
· Do I conform to the divine standard of morality and ethics?
· The Lord’s rule will be universal
· Am I consecrated to the Lord’s service? (Holy to the Lord!!!)
All Scripture verses taken from NIV
Tuesday, September 13, 2011
Blood Of My Covenant With You
Zechariah 9:11 - As for you, because of the blood of my covenant with you, I will free your prisoners from the waterless pit.
Exodus 24:8 - Moses then took the blood, sprinkled it on the people and said, “This is the blood of the covenant that the LORD has made with you in accordance with all these words.”
Luke 22:20 - In the same way, after the supper he took the cup, saying, “This cup is the new covenant in my blood, which is poured out for you.
Isaiah 42:7 - “I, the LORD, have called you in righteousness; I will take hold of your hand. I will keep you and will make you to be a covenant for the people and a light for the Gentiles, to open eyes that are blind, to free captives from prison and to release from the dungeon those who sit in darkness.
Application:
· Do I agree to obey the Lord?
· The communion cup is a covenant (meaning I agree to obey the Lord) sealed by the death of Jesus Christ,
· Have I been freed from spiritual and moral bondage?
All Scripture verses taken from NIV
Exodus 24:8 - Moses then took the blood, sprinkled it on the people and said, “This is the blood of the covenant that the LORD has made with you in accordance with all these words.”
Luke 22:20 - In the same way, after the supper he took the cup, saying, “This cup is the new covenant in my blood, which is poured out for you.
Isaiah 42:7 - “I, the LORD, have called you in righteousness; I will take hold of your hand. I will keep you and will make you to be a covenant for the people and a light for the Gentiles, to open eyes that are blind, to free captives from prison and to release from the dungeon those who sit in darkness.
Application:
· Do I agree to obey the Lord?
· The communion cup is a covenant (meaning I agree to obey the Lord) sealed by the death of Jesus Christ,
· Have I been freed from spiritual and moral bondage?
All Scripture verses taken from NIV
Monday, September 12, 2011
Take Away The Chariots, War Horses and Battle Bow
Zechariah 9:10 - I will take away the chariots from Ephraim and the warhorses from Jerusalem, and the battle bow will be broken. He will proclaim peace to the nations. His rule will extend from sea to sea and from the River to the ends of the earth.
Isaiah 9:6-7 - For to us a child is born, to us a son is given, and the government will be on his shoulders. And he will be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace. Of the greatness of his government and peace there will be no end. He will reign on David’s throne and over his kingdom, establishing and upholding it with justice and righteousness from that time on and forever. The zeal of the LORD Almighty will accomplish this.
Isaiah 11:2-4 - The Spirit of the LORD will rest on him—the Spirit of wisdom and of understanding, the Spirit of counsel and of might, the Spirit of the knowledge and fear of the LORD—and he will delight in the fear of the LORD. He will not judge by what he sees with his eyes, or decide by what he hears with his ears; but with righteousness he will judge the needy, with justice he will give decisions for the poor of the earth. He will strike the earth with the rod of his mouth; with the breath of his lips he will slay the wicked.
Zechariah 14:16 - Then the survivors from all the nations that have attacked Jerusalem will go up year after year to worship the King, the LORD Almighty, and to celebrate the Festival of Tabernacles.
Psalm 22:27-28 - All the ends of the earth will remember and turn to the LORD, and all the families of the nations will bow down before him, for dominion belongs to the LORD and he rules over the nations.
Application:
· The Lord’s rule will be universal
· He is the Wonderful Counselor, the Mighty God, the Everlasting Father and the Prince of Peace
· God is like a jealous lover who will not abandon His people
· He is endowed with wisdom and with power
· Am I grateful to the Lord? Do I rejoice in Him?
· Have I turned from idols to the true God?
· He reigns!!!
All Scripture verses taken from NIV
Isaiah 9:6-7 - For to us a child is born, to us a son is given, and the government will be on his shoulders. And he will be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace. Of the greatness of his government and peace there will be no end. He will reign on David’s throne and over his kingdom, establishing and upholding it with justice and righteousness from that time on and forever. The zeal of the LORD Almighty will accomplish this.
Isaiah 11:2-4 - The Spirit of the LORD will rest on him—the Spirit of wisdom and of understanding, the Spirit of counsel and of might, the Spirit of the knowledge and fear of the LORD—and he will delight in the fear of the LORD. He will not judge by what he sees with his eyes, or decide by what he hears with his ears; but with righteousness he will judge the needy, with justice he will give decisions for the poor of the earth. He will strike the earth with the rod of his mouth; with the breath of his lips he will slay the wicked.
Zechariah 14:16 - Then the survivors from all the nations that have attacked Jerusalem will go up year after year to worship the King, the LORD Almighty, and to celebrate the Festival of Tabernacles.
Psalm 22:27-28 - All the ends of the earth will remember and turn to the LORD, and all the families of the nations will bow down before him, for dominion belongs to the LORD and he rules over the nations.
Application:
· The Lord’s rule will be universal
· He is the Wonderful Counselor, the Mighty God, the Everlasting Father and the Prince of Peace
· God is like a jealous lover who will not abandon His people
· He is endowed with wisdom and with power
· Am I grateful to the Lord? Do I rejoice in Him?
· Have I turned from idols to the true God?
· He reigns!!!
All Scripture verses taken from NIV
Friday, September 9, 2011
We Have Heard That God Is With You
Zechariah 8:23 - This is what the LORD Almighty says: “In those days ten people from all languages and nations will take firm hold of one Jew by the hem of his robe and say, ‘Let us go with you, because we have heard that God is with you.’”
Isaiah 45:14 - This is what the LORD says: “The products of Egypt and the merchandise of Cush, and those tall Sabeans—they will come over to you and will be yours; they will trudge behind you, coming over to you in chains. They will bow down before you and plead with you, saying, ‘Surely God is with you, and there is no other; there is no other god.’”
Genesis 30:27 - But Laban said to him, “If I have found favor in your eyes, please stay. I have learned by divination that the LORD has blessed me because of you.”
Genesis 39:6-7 - So Potiphar left everything he had in Joseph’s care; with Joseph in charge, he did not concern himself with anything except the food he ate. Now Joseph was well-built and handsome, and after a while his master’s wife took notice of Joseph and said, “Come to bed with me!”
Application:
· True godliness attracts others to the Lord
· Have I surrendered to the one true God?
· Have I been blessed because of other people?
· Can others trust me?
All Scripture verses taken from NIV
Isaiah 45:14 - This is what the LORD says: “The products of Egypt and the merchandise of Cush, and those tall Sabeans—they will come over to you and will be yours; they will trudge behind you, coming over to you in chains. They will bow down before you and plead with you, saying, ‘Surely God is with you, and there is no other; there is no other god.’”
Genesis 30:27 - But Laban said to him, “If I have found favor in your eyes, please stay. I have learned by divination that the LORD has blessed me because of you.”
Genesis 39:6-7 - So Potiphar left everything he had in Joseph’s care; with Joseph in charge, he did not concern himself with anything except the food he ate. Now Joseph was well-built and handsome, and after a while his master’s wife took notice of Joseph and said, “Come to bed with me!”
Application:
· True godliness attracts others to the Lord
· Have I surrendered to the one true God?
· Have I been blessed because of other people?
· Can others trust me?
All Scripture verses taken from NIV
Thursday, September 8, 2011
Powerful
Zechariah 8:20-22 - This is what the LORD Almighty says: “Many peoples and the inhabitants of many cities will yet come, and the inhabitants of one city will go to another and say, ‘Let us go at once to entreat the LORD and seek the LORD Almighty. I myself am going.’ And many peoples and powerful nations will come to Jerusalem to seek the LORD Almighty and to entreat him.”
Psalm 86:9 - All the nations you have made will come and worship before you, Lord; they will bring glory to your name.
Psalm 117:1 - Praise the LORD, all you nations; extol him, all you peoples.
Isaiah 2:2 - In the last days the mountain of the LORD’s temple will be established as the highest of the mountains; it will be exalted above the hills, and all nations will stream to it.
Isaiah 45:14 - This is what the LORD says: “The products of Egypt and the merchandise of Cush, and those tall Sabeans—they will come over to you and will be yours; they will trudge behind you, coming over to you in chains. They will bow down before you and plead with you, saying, ‘Surely God is with you, and there is no other; there is no other god.’”
Isaiah 49:5-6 - And now the LORD says—he who formed me in the womb to be his servant to bring Jacob back to him and gather Israel to himself, for I am honored in the eyes of the LORD and my God has been my strength—he says: “It is too small a thing for you to be my servant to restore the tribes of Jacob and bring back those of Israel I have kept. I will also make you a light for the Gentiles, that my salvation may reach to the ends of the earth.”
Isaiah 53:12 - Therefore I will give him a portion among the great, and he will divide the spoils with the strong, because he poured out his life unto death, and was numbered with the transgressors. For he bore the sin of many, and made intercession for the transgressors.
Galatians 3:28 - There is neither Jew nor Gentile, neither slave nor free, nor is there male and female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus.
Isaiah 55:5 - Surely you will summon nations you know not, and nations you do not know will come running to you, because of the LORD your God, the Holy One of Israel, for he has endowed you with splendor.”
Isaiah 56:6-7 - And foreigners who bind themselves to the LORD to minister to him, to love the name of the LORD, and to be his servants, all who keep the Sabbath without desecrating it and who hold fast to my covenant—these I will bring to my holy mountain and give them joy in my house of prayer. Their burnt offerings and sacrifices will be accepted on my altar; for my house will be called a house of prayer for all nations.”
Mark 11:17 - And as he taught them, he said, “Is it not written: ‘My house will be called a house of prayer for all nations’? But you have made it ‘a den of robbers.’”
Application:
· Do I seek the Lord Almighty and entreat Him?
· Do I recognize God’s sovereign and universal rule?
· Was my salvation and my glorifying God a divine afterthought? NO
· Do I worship the one true God only?
· Have I surrendered to the one true God?
· Christ is the light of the world. Do I reflect His light?
· If I believe in Him, I will be eternally blessed.
· Unity in Christ transcends ethnic, social and sexual distinctions
· God attracts the nations through His Son Jesus Christ.
· Do I desire to be in God’s presence and worship Him?
All Scripture verses taken from NIV
Psalm 86:9 - All the nations you have made will come and worship before you, Lord; they will bring glory to your name.
Psalm 117:1 - Praise the LORD, all you nations; extol him, all you peoples.
Isaiah 2:2 - In the last days the mountain of the LORD’s temple will be established as the highest of the mountains; it will be exalted above the hills, and all nations will stream to it.
Isaiah 45:14 - This is what the LORD says: “The products of Egypt and the merchandise of Cush, and those tall Sabeans—they will come over to you and will be yours; they will trudge behind you, coming over to you in chains. They will bow down before you and plead with you, saying, ‘Surely God is with you, and there is no other; there is no other god.’”
Isaiah 49:5-6 - And now the LORD says—he who formed me in the womb to be his servant to bring Jacob back to him and gather Israel to himself, for I am honored in the eyes of the LORD and my God has been my strength—he says: “It is too small a thing for you to be my servant to restore the tribes of Jacob and bring back those of Israel I have kept. I will also make you a light for the Gentiles, that my salvation may reach to the ends of the earth.”
Isaiah 53:12 - Therefore I will give him a portion among the great, and he will divide the spoils with the strong, because he poured out his life unto death, and was numbered with the transgressors. For he bore the sin of many, and made intercession for the transgressors.
Galatians 3:28 - There is neither Jew nor Gentile, neither slave nor free, nor is there male and female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus.
Isaiah 55:5 - Surely you will summon nations you know not, and nations you do not know will come running to you, because of the LORD your God, the Holy One of Israel, for he has endowed you with splendor.”
Isaiah 56:6-7 - And foreigners who bind themselves to the LORD to minister to him, to love the name of the LORD, and to be his servants, all who keep the Sabbath without desecrating it and who hold fast to my covenant—these I will bring to my holy mountain and give them joy in my house of prayer. Their burnt offerings and sacrifices will be accepted on my altar; for my house will be called a house of prayer for all nations.”
Mark 11:17 - And as he taught them, he said, “Is it not written: ‘My house will be called a house of prayer for all nations’? But you have made it ‘a den of robbers.’”
Application:
· Do I seek the Lord Almighty and entreat Him?
· Do I recognize God’s sovereign and universal rule?
· Was my salvation and my glorifying God a divine afterthought? NO
· Do I worship the one true God only?
· Have I surrendered to the one true God?
· Christ is the light of the world. Do I reflect His light?
· If I believe in Him, I will be eternally blessed.
· Unity in Christ transcends ethnic, social and sexual distinctions
· God attracts the nations through His Son Jesus Christ.
· Do I desire to be in God’s presence and worship Him?
All Scripture verses taken from NIV
Wednesday, September 7, 2011
Happy Festivals
Zechariah 8:18-21 - The word of the LORD Almighty came to me. This is what the LORD Almighty says: “The fasts of the fourth, fifth, seventh and tenth months will become joyful and glad occasions and happy festivals for Judah. Therefore love truth and peace.” This is what the LORD Almighty says: “Many peoples and the inhabitants of many cities will yet come, and the inhabitants of one city will go to another and say, ‘Let us go at once to entreat the LORD and seek the LORD Almighty. I myself am going.’
Isaiah 65:18 - But be glad and rejoice forever in what I will create, for I will create Jerusalem to be a delight and its people a joy.
Isaiah 2:2 - In the last days the mountain of the LORD’s temple will be established as the highest of the mountains; it will be exalted above the hills, and all nations will stream to it.
Micah 4:5 - All the nations may walk in the name of their gods, but we will walk in the name of the LORD our God for ever and ever.
Application:
· Am I glad? Do I rejoice over the things God has, is, and will create?
· Do I worship the one true God only?
· Do I confess, love, obey and rely on the Lord?
All Scripture verses taken from NIV
Isaiah 65:18 - But be glad and rejoice forever in what I will create, for I will create Jerusalem to be a delight and its people a joy.
Isaiah 2:2 - In the last days the mountain of the LORD’s temple will be established as the highest of the mountains; it will be exalted above the hills, and all nations will stream to it.
Micah 4:5 - All the nations may walk in the name of their gods, but we will walk in the name of the LORD our God for ever and ever.
Application:
· Am I glad? Do I rejoice over the things God has, is, and will create?
· Do I worship the one true God only?
· Do I confess, love, obey and rely on the Lord?
All Scripture verses taken from NIV
Tuesday, September 6, 2011
Judgment
Zechariah 8:16-17 - These are the things you are to do: Speak the truth to each other, and render true and sound judgment in your courts; do not plot evil against each other, and do not love to swear falsely. I hate all this,” declares the LORD.
Ezekiel 18:8 - He does not lend to them at interest or take a profit from them. He withholds his hand from doing wrong and judges fairly between two parties.
Zechariah 7:10 - Do not oppress the widow or the fatherless, the foreigner or the poor. Do not plot evil against each other.’
Jeremiah 7:9-10 - “‘Will you steal and murder, commit adultery and perjury, burn incense to Baal and follow other gods you have not known, and then come and stand before me in this house, which bears my Name, and say, “We are safe”—safe to do all these detestable things?
Zechariah 5:3-4 - And he said to me, “This is the curse that is going out over the whole land; for according to what it says on one side, every thief will be banished, and according to what it says on the other, everyone who swears falsely will be banished. The LORD Almighty declares, ‘I will send it out, and it will enter the house of the thief and the house of anyone who swears falsely by my name. It will remain in that house and destroy it completely, both its timbers and its stones.’”
Application:
· Do I withhold my hand from doing wrong? Do I judge fairly between man and man?
· Do I think evil of others?
· Does my heart devise wicked schemes?
· Do I get angry? Do I lust? Do I follow other gods?
· God’s word, whether promise or warning, always accomplishes its purpose.
· Does God’s discipline lead me to repentance or a hardened resolve to sin?
All Scripture verses taken from NIV
Ezekiel 18:8 - He does not lend to them at interest or take a profit from them. He withholds his hand from doing wrong and judges fairly between two parties.
Zechariah 7:10 - Do not oppress the widow or the fatherless, the foreigner or the poor. Do not plot evil against each other.’
Jeremiah 7:9-10 - “‘Will you steal and murder, commit adultery and perjury, burn incense to Baal and follow other gods you have not known, and then come and stand before me in this house, which bears my Name, and say, “We are safe”—safe to do all these detestable things?
Zechariah 5:3-4 - And he said to me, “This is the curse that is going out over the whole land; for according to what it says on one side, every thief will be banished, and according to what it says on the other, everyone who swears falsely will be banished. The LORD Almighty declares, ‘I will send it out, and it will enter the house of the thief and the house of anyone who swears falsely by my name. It will remain in that house and destroy it completely, both its timbers and its stones.’”
Application:
· Do I withhold my hand from doing wrong? Do I judge fairly between man and man?
· Do I think evil of others?
· Does my heart devise wicked schemes?
· Do I get angry? Do I lust? Do I follow other gods?
· God’s word, whether promise or warning, always accomplishes its purpose.
· Does God’s discipline lead me to repentance or a hardened resolve to sin?
All Scripture verses taken from NIV
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